Interim Detroit police chief: Report on staffing levels is inaccurate

Feb. 22, 2013

Of the state report's findings, Interim Detroit Police Chief Chester Logan says, "Somebody in city government is providing them with bad information. I don't know who, but we're trying to be transparent." / Jessica J. Trevino/Detroit Free Press

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Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

Detroit's interim police chief on Thursday sharply disputed findings in a recently released state report that said Detroit officials have no reliable information about its police staffing levels.

Interim Police Chief Chester Logan told the Free Press that the state review team that produced the report, including state Treasurer Andy Dillon, did not accurately report the number of employees in the Detroit Police Department.

"How in the world could you screw up a number like that?" Logan asked.

"We've got almost 2,500 employees. What that (review team report) number is based on, I don't know," said Logan, who later speculated the review team was referring to the department's number of police officers and did not include officers who hold other ranks.

According to the review team's report, police officials indicated that roughly 68% of the department's employees were doing patrol work, while 15% were doing investigations.

The report says city officials asserted that only one-third of the department's employees were engaged in patrols. The report did not name the officials who provided that information.

"The review team could not resolve this discrepancy because the city's administration has no reliable information concerning what staffing levels are, or should be, within the Police Department," the report said.

Logan said the review team never contacted the Police Department to resolve the discrepancy.

"We would've provided them anything they wanted us to," Logan said. "Somebody in city government is providing them with bad information. I don't know who but we're trying to be transparent. We don't have anything to hide. Hell, we need help."

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A spokesman for Dillon said he would not parse out specific aspects of the report.

Logan said the department has moved more of its work force to investigations and patrols in an effort to more effectively fight crime. He said 71% are on patrol and 16% are working investigations. The department's ultimate goal is to have 80% of its employees deployed to patrol, 15% for investigative work and 5% for administrative.

Logan would not give specific staffing numbers to correlate with the current deployment percentages.

"We'd rather not because just like the good folks read your paper, the bad ones do, too," Logan said. "At some point in time, we're going to give you all the numbers."

The review team's report said the group met with Logan, police unions and several other city officials during a series of meetings late last year and this year.

Logan's criticism of the report follows that of Mayor Dave Bing, who on Wednesday disputed the report's claim that the city lacks a viable plan to correct its more than $300-million deficit. Snyder accepted the report and is expected to act within days in deciding whether he will appoint an emergency financial manager to oversee Detroit's finances.

Logan said he is concerned about how the potential appointment of an emergency financial manager would affect public safety.

"What if he or she comes in and says, 'OK, we're going to reduce the police department,' " Logan said. "That would be my biggest concern."